Ken Buck Supports Fully Funded PILT Program

Washington, D.C. – (RealEstateRama) — Congressman Ken Buck joined dozens of his colleagues from both sides of the aisle this week on a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi demanding the full funding of the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program (PILT). Under this program, the federal government provides offsetting funds to local governments that lose property tax revenue due to the existence of tax-exempt federal lands in their jurisdiction. County governments depend on PILT payments to fund vital services like law enforcement and health services, as well as transportation infrastructure.

“Since it’s exempt from local property taxes, the federal government should contribute to local communities through PILT funds,” Congressman Ken Buck stated. “I encourage Congress to fully fund the PILT program and to ensure its long-term existence.”

The letter requests “a fiscally responsible, long-term and sustainable solution to fully fund PILT in FY17 and beyond.” Without a long-term solution, counties must regularly contend with the uncertainty of not knowing whether PILT funds will be available.

Below is a table of counties from the Fourth Congressional District with their fiscal year 2016 PILT payments and eligible acreage (U.S. Department of the Interior does not list all counties).

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Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) released the following statement on the Obama Administration’s announcement of new guidelines for families to install renewable energy and water conservation projects in their homes.

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The House of Representatives passed language from Congressman Scott Tipton’s (CO-03) Water Rights Protection Act (H.R. 2939), to prevent the federal government from using funds to circumvent state water law or violate private property and water rights. This language was included H.R. 6147, a bill to fund the Department of Interior and Environmental Protection Agency for FY19.

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